


Towards a Setting Sun That Burns the Sands Orange

by Resilur



Category: Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood & Manga
Genre: Time Travel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-08
Updated: 2019-10-08
Packaged: 2020-11-27 07:04:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 497
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20944301
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Resilur/pseuds/Resilur
Summary: Ling has begun acting strangely, and Lan Fan is confused.





	Towards a Setting Sun That Burns the Sands Orange

**Author's Note:**

  * For [fencesit](https://archiveofourown.org/users/fencesit/gifts).

“We can’t afford unnecessary detours just because you want to have fun messing with Edward,” Mei Chang argued, riding in front with Prince Ling.

Lan Fan had initially thought nothing of it when her prince had insisted they bring an extra horse on their journey to Amestris; they desert could be treacherous, after all. But then they met with the seventeenth princess while stopping in the ruins of Xerces, who her prince had apparently been expecting – the horse, it turned out, had been for her.

Prince Ling sent his half-sister a side-long smirk. “And it has nothing to do with not wanting me to cause Al any trouble, right?”

Lan Fan understood that they had apparently chosen to form an alliance, but what she couldn’t understand was _why_. How could this possibly be of benefit to her prince?

“Alphonse is perfectly capable of dealing with your antics,” Mei Chang replied primly. “And his brother’s. _I’m_ just keeping in mind what our actual priorities are.”

Lan Fan was still thrown off-balance by just how… casual and familiar the two acted with each other. She couldn’t recall them ever interacting before this even in the most formal of circumstances, much less anything informal. (As would be expected. Mei Chang was of much lower rank, after all. It wasn’t her place to –)

Lan Fan forced her grip on her reins to loosen. She shot a quick glance over at her grandfather, embarrassed that he might have noticed her brief loss of composure.

She would never dream of questioning her prince, especially in front of an ally or enemy (and the young princess could easily be both). And of course he had no need to explain himself to her – she would gladly follow him to the depths of hell if he ordered.

But she and her grandfather were supposed to be his bodyguards, and it was difficult to protect him when they had no clue what was going on!

She would never actually doubt her prince… but sometimes she really, _really_ wished that he’d make it easier for them to take proper care of him.

\---

Night was beginning to fall, but Ling figured they could travel a good few hours more.

He and Mei did not know if any of the Amestrians had made it back. (It had been with a pang that he’d realized Lan Fan did not remember. He still hadn’t yet explained the situation to her and Fuu, though he knew they were confused.) Worse, they couldn’t even be certain that none of their enemies had. In the end, everything had just happened so _fast_…

There was much that needed to be done, to have any hope of things turning out well. Though he knew his sister understood that his largest priority was quite personal; he had someone he needed to join with, and this time Ling refused to lose him.

A smile both fond and fierce crossed his face. _Just wait. I’ll show you who’s the greediest._


End file.
